Barkley joins Senate race

WIth Jesse Ventura announcing that he wouldn't run, Barkley, a longtime adviser to the former governor, put his hat in the ring.

By Bob von Sternberg , Star Tribune

Last update: July 15, 2008 - 9:51 PM

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With former Gov. Jesse Ventura saying he is not entering Minnesota's U.S. Senate race, his political mentor is running in his stead.

Dean Barkley, who briefly served in the Senate himself, filed for the office this afternoon as an Independence Party candidate.

Ventura announced Monday night that he's not running, a statement he made with the qualifier that he'd change his mind if God speaks to him.

Barkley joked this morning that he was "trying to find a woman God impersonator, because we all know God's a woman, so we can manage to change his mind."

Barring that, he said he would ask Ventura to serve as the honorary chairman of what will be his third run for the Senate. He gained enough votes in earlier runs to gain major party status for the Reform Party (now the Independence Party), which paved the way for Ventura's improbable victory a decade ago.

"I haven't gotten a yes or a no from him, but I'll take as much help from him as you can get," Barkley said.

Despite a late, unfunded start in what is becoming the most expensive Senate race in the country, Barkley said a Ventura-like upset is possible.

"I think the opportunity is there," he said. "Anyone with a brain can see that in Minnesota and nationwide, people are pretty well disgusted with both parties. There's room for a viable independent if you can get your message out."

After he managed Ventura's gubernatorial campaign, his protege appointed him to a job in state government and tapped him to fill the final weeks of the late Sen. Paul Wellstone's term six years ago.

"These guys can raise 25 zillion dollars, but they're still two vulnerable candidates who can be beat," Barkley said. "I hope the public will give me a shot. "They gave Ventura a shot. It's up to them."

As of shortly before 5 p.m. today, the filing deadilne, several other candidates have filed under the Independence Party label, including party endorsee Stephen Williams, former party chairman Jack Uldrich, Kurth Michael Anderson, Doug Williams, Bill Dahn and Darryl Stanton.

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